Im about to give up, and by myself a mustang, I never thought putting together a TUNED PORT INJECTION, would be so difficult and expensive, but ever since i saw this motor, i had to have it. My question is this, Im modifying a 305 TPI, the best way i can, Of course, i had a set of L98 vette heads ported and polished, they installed ACCEL, double springs,titanium retainers,and valve locks, Now i also got ACCEL's cam made for modified TPI's, so i got the 74211 cam. They told me to get a 1.5 ration rocker arms, So me the idiot i bought 1.5 roller rockers(comp roller rockers) from TPIS, of course im running centerbolt valve covers. The problem is the roller rockers are too big, i dont think they were designed for the center bolt valve covers, What can i possibly do, i cant return the rockers, its been half a year since i got them, and the motor is currently being put together, if i grind some parts of the valve covers, am i gonna be alright, what should i do. The valve covers are direct replacements from SUMMIT. Please help me out.

------------------
92' camaro
New 305 block TPI conversion, Flat top pistons,Bore over .30 Forged parts all around,Edelbrock intake,ported plennum,ported corvette alluminum heads, accel cam,52mm throttle bodie, SLP runners Home aid cold air induction, Air foil,ford SVO 19lb injectors,fuel regulator,cloys timing chain, comp alluminum roller rocker arms and pushrods MSD 8.5 mm wires, bosch plattinum plugs, hypertech cap & rotor and coil, Edelbrock TES headers, free flowing catalytic converter and a 3 inch force II flowmaster exhaust system, and a 3 inch cutout,Zoom multi friction clutch, T-5 tranny,billenstien shocks&struts.
Soon to come!!!
Procharger system 12lbs o boost.
New paint job(hawaiin orchid purple)Cast alluminum ZR1 rims w/ 275 tires.
Favorite quote: "where ever u go, there u are"

Other car;
1971 plymouth Duster
Mods:340,edelbrock victor jr. intake, 650 4 barrel holley, heddman headers,40 series dual flowmasters, cold air intake,4:10 gears, just got a new paint job and cragar rims with 315 tires in the back.
:Yeah its not a chevy but damn how many 71' dusters have u seen in the streets.

 

You should be able to gut the VCs and get 'em to fit...plenty of folks here have done the same.
...ed

------------------
Ed Maher - Moderator @ The Carb Board
92 Z28 Convertible - Quasar blue / Tan top
LB9 4L60 GU2 G80 - stock, soon to be sleeper
-=ICON Motorsports=-

- Definitely prototypes, high powered mutants of some kind. Too weird to live, too cool to die

 

I had to gut my valve covers since I have Trick Flow heads and 1.5 rockers. I think all that you will have to do is grind off the rings that are at the bottom of the bolt guides . I don't think you will have to cut any of the bracing. Take your time, take a deep breath, and enjoy yourself. These things happen.
bsa

------------------
"If they do not run, Then they will die." - Stonewall Jackson
#3
'87 IROC, 355 TPI, Converted to SD, 700R4, B&M Megashifter, 3.42, Trick Flow Twisted Wedge Heads, Edelbrock Intake, Accel Runners, Comp Cam, Crane Gold rockers, Lucas 24# injectors, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster 3'' exhaust, Mallory Ignition, Transgo Performance Shift Kit, Corvette Servo, 2,000 Stall Torque Converter

[This message has been edited by irocbsa (edited July 10, 2001).]

 

[I was going to delete this after reading it, because it sounded preachy. Yet, after reading it the second time, I decided to leave it. I dont mean to make it sound preachy. I only mean it to represent my take on the attitudes of the majority of the aftermarket shops I deal with: They assume I know what I am doing in most cases, and are usually quite honest in their responses to my questions. However, I've found many shops that wont answer the questions that I have not asked...]

You have to remember something about this hobby: Its about car crafting. There is inevitably some form of fabrication involved in most car projects. Car hobbyists should expect to have to do a little innovating to make stuff fit. Heck, even cars from the same model year will vary on where stuff fits together.

This is why the Lingenfelters of this world do so well: They do the innovating for their customers who are automotive enthusiasts, not necessarily automotive hobbyists. If you are doing it yourself, then you are treading on the realm of the hobbyist and leaving the realm of the enthusiast. Enthusiasts drive their cars, and hobbyists wrench on their cars.

I have a friend who once said (of his long-gone 1969 Firebird) "My car traveled more miles going up and down than it did going forward or backward."

He is a pure hobbyist.

Is the interference between the rockers and the valve covers necessarily the fault of TPIS? I'm not so sure. Perhaps the person you spoke with didnt think a minor modification was really that big of deal and forgot to mention it. Maybe the modification just never had a chance to come up in the conversation? Some shops dont volunteer information. "It'll Fit" sometimes has inferred the words "with minor modification".

By the way, I saw a set of Comp Cams Pro magnum rockers on a '94 LT1 and he made them work by cutting out one-half of each web. They worked like a charm and took him only a few minutes to make the change. You might try that as well and see what happens.

------------------
Daniel Burk
View my third-gen hobbyist performance page!
View my reader's ride!
'84 Trans Am WS6/L69
KB SFC, Moser axles, Torsen Diff., Spohn Adj. torque arm,
Ported 305 heads w/1.94"intake valves, Comp Cams XE262H, Griffen alum. radiator,
Turbine Technologies 2500 stall converter, underdrive pulleys, Crane Hi-6 & more.
1.05g skidpad verified.
Best of 14.039 at 100.82 MPH in Stanton, MI
New!Full 1LE brake upgrade! Details at website above.

[This message has been edited by ws6transam (edited July 10, 2001).]

 

hmmm riiiiiiiiight

 

No one screwed you, most of the different brand roller rockers require a little modification of the valve covers to fit.

------------------
Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

 

A little research before a purchase never hurt anyone. If you don't know the answer to a question post it here, someone is bound to know. Don't go ragging on people for stuff they cannot always control.

 

ws6transam,

I'm glad you didn't delete your post. You brought up some good points.

 

This is what I did to make the VCs fit on my Twisted *** Heads. Worked nicely and took about 15 minutes with a dremel.
bsa

 

i didn't see anyone mention that if they weren't designed for your centerbolt valve covers they also aren't likely self centering rocker arms and therefore shouldn't be used. might want to check your part number on what you have.

 

Good point.
bsa